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Karen Schmidt

For over 20 years, Karen Schmidt has been a Front Line Leadership expert. An award winning professional speaker, workshop leader and author, Karen uses her years in human resource management, corporate education, consulting and administration to nurture managers into leaders.

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Testimonials for Karen Schmidt

”The program was exactly what I was
looking for – an emphasis on development of practical leadership aptitudes, and
sharing of experiences across the program leadership team to build shared
understanding and teamwork.”

”The engaging way in which Karen
delivered her unique program really connected with our farm managers and
assistant managers. Everyone involved took away practical tools and information
that they can use every day in almost all situations.”

Dana Bourke, Human Resources Manager,
Warakirri Dairies

“Very good coverage of content that
addressed our real issues. Just right for local government. You also managed to
establish a good rapport with the group who are not always the easiest to get
on board and committed to learning.”

Head of Library Services, Local
Council, QLD

“Karen’s style is very practical and
energetic. The content is current and well presented through the use of
interesting and appropriate activities and group work which really encourages
sharing of ideas and experiences.”

“The entire team found the language
from the program ideal for reflective practice, an asset critical in Early
Childcare. Personally I have been able to use the concepts in performance
management and appraisal situations. We will definitely be working with Karen
again.”

Jacqui Taylor, Centre Director, Rainbow
Station Early Learning Centre

”Karen’s approach to the coaching was
very user friendly and allowed each individual to focus on the areas where they
felt the most benefit would be gained.”

Manuel Pena, General Manager, Projects
Queensland

Karen Schmidt Travels from QLD
Fee Range: .Up to $5000

Karen Schmidt's Biography

Karen Schmidt describes herself as a workplace gardener who is on a mission to grow managers into engaging leaders. The seeds for her role as a speaker and workshop leader were planted early in her career when she encountered disengaging managers and colleagues who were performing below their capabilities. Along the way she experienced the workplace from the point of view of a staff member, manager, recruiter, contractor and consultant working in organisations of all shapes and sizes. To add to her 20 plus years of practical experience she has a degree in Adult Education from the University of Technology, Sydney and formal qualifications in Human Resource Management and Facilitation.

Karen is the author of “Keep ‘em keen: a guide for managers on engaging people of all ages and career stages”.

Today she works with current and future leaders across Australia, New Zealand and Asia in a diverse range of industries to help them create more engaging workplaces. Her clients include corporates, government, professional associations, educational institutions and not for profits.

Karen continues to grow her knowledge base through her membership of organisations such as the:

• National Speakers Association of Australia (NSAA)
• Australian Institute of Management (AIM)
• Australian Institute of Training and Development (AITD)
• Institute for Learning Practitioners (ILP)
• Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI)

In 2009 Karen was recognised by the Global Speakers Federation (GSF) as a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), the highest level of accreditation for speakers internationally and held by only 10% of members.

She was the winner of the NSAA Queensland "Speaker of the year" award in 2006, is the 2012 NSAA QLD/NT Chapter President and a member of the NSAA National Board.

In her spare time she likes to volunteer at her local community garden and grow her skills as a social ballroom dancer.

Speaking Topics Include

Over the years I’ve learnt what works and what doesn’t when it comes to
developing frontline leaders. That’s why I have designed my programs
differently. I focus on:

Showing people how to lead
from day one rather than only how to manage

Taking them on a learning
journey rather than a series of disconnected events

Using short
sessions with practical application in between rather than long
workshops

Encouraging self-directed
learning so they can continue on their own after the program

All my programs use my unique “Workplace Gardening Philosophy” which
resonates with the practical people who lead at the frontline. It is memorable
and logical, which aids retention and increases understanding so people learn
quicker and change faster.

Stocktake

To maximise your return on investment you need to assess your current
situation to determine where you are and where you want to go. My
Frontline Leadership Development stocktake process assesses your current
strategy and tactics to help you identify strengths and areas for development.

Budding Leaders Program

Every new leader needs the foundation skills that will help them go from
surviving to thriving in their role. My Budding Leaders Program is designed
around 5 key competencies that will help your frontline leaders go from simply
managing their teams to leading them to success.

Coaching

Once your frontline leaders have completed the Budding Leaders
Program they are ready to move onto more advanced skills in specific
areas. This is where individual coaching can help.